Basic Shotgun and Basic Pistol and Rifle are among the most popular classes come registration time, frequently filling within the first couple seconds students are able to click “submit.”
Outside of the military institutes, Hillsdale College is one of just a few colleges with a shooting range and classes that allow students to learn how to shoot safely.
These classes, range manager and lecturer Bart Spieth said, are generally filled with students who have little to no shooting experience. He said the classes are oriented toward more inexperienced students to give them an introduction to gun handling and shooting in a safe environment.
“I’ve never shot before,” said freshman Carrie Blanton, a student in the basic shotgun class. “There’s not a shooting facility close to my current residence so I don’t have much opportunity to go shooting. But now I feel comfortable handling a gun.”
After the introductory classes, there are advanced classes and the shotgun club team for students who wish to continue shooting.
“Many new shooters find that they love this sport and look for opportunities to take their shooting with them,” Spieth said. “Some have asked me for advice on gun purchases.”
Current team members who started shooting because of the class include junior Blake Scott, and seniors Dan Klimas and Nate Oberholtzer.
“They have become very good shooters in just two to three years,” Spieth.
The construction of Hillsdale’s range began in 2008, on the 77-acre plot purchased in 2006. The first event at the range was held on Sept. 19, 2009 in honor of Constitution Day.
There are plans to add an Olympic standard skeet field and a club house in the next few years.
The guns at the range are from Browning, Beretta, and Winchester, which have either been donated or purchased by the school from the manufacturers. Guns have been added annually as the program becomes more popular.
